REPORT ADOPTED

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 95, 18 October 1940, Page 6

REPORT ADOPTED

COMMITTEE PRAISED

ECONOMIC CONFERENCE

WORK COMPLETED

After full consideration of the re- j port presented by the working committee, the Economic Stabilisation Conference issued a statement yesterday afternoon that the full conference had approved the report and thanked the committee for the good work done. The conference met in camera to discuss the report and before it ad-, journed it agreed that the working committee should be called together again if the Prime Minister considered that it would be advantageous to hold meetings at any future time. The report, which was published yesterday, was presented to the conference by the acting chairman of the committee, Mr. A. T. Donnelly, who was supported by Mr. A. McLagan, president of the Federation of Labour, j and Mr. W. W. Mulholland, president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. After a general discussion the report was taken clause by clause and was agreed to in toto, there being only one diss.entient vote. The Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) moved a vote of thanks to the committee and this was, seconded by Mr. J. Roberts, both speakers stating that the members of the committee had done a job that had made the country indebted to them. Mr. P. R. Hanna also praised the committee for the work done. Mr. T. O. Bishop, in replying on behalf of the committee, paid a tribute to Mr. Donnelly's work as chairman. Mr. Donnelly responded in a brief speech. RESOLUTIONS CARRIED. Mr. P. M. Butler moved: "That all present pledge themselves to do everything in their power to implement the report." He was supported by Mr. Bishop, who expressed the hope that the powerful organisations represented at the conference would do their part in endeavouring to carry the recommendations into effect, and that each and every member would leave the conference with a full and determined resolution in his own mind to use his influence to ensure that the maximum effort would be obtained from the recommendations made. S The motion was carried. Mr. W. I. McGibbon moved: "That the Government be requested to call together the members of the general working committee if at any time the Prime Minister considered that it would be advantageous to do so." This motion was seconded by Mr. I. Matheson and also agreed to. A VALUABLE REPORT. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser), in concluding proceedings, conveyed to delegates on behalf of the Government his deep appreciation of the honest and painstaking work that had been put into the report. "The report is a most valuable one," said the Prime Minister, "and is the result of earnest thought and research. I hope that at the end of the report there will be attached a list of witnesses that were called by the general working committee. This list, I understand, will show that the committee has carried out very wide investigations. A good many matters have been clarified, matters that are questions of perplexity to a great .many people throughout the country, and this clarification will have a stabilising effect, apart from bringing the suggestions and recommendations into effect.

"People will realise that it is not possible with a reduced output for everybody to increase their consumption of goods, and that every endeavour must be made to obtain more efficient production of goods if the standard of living is to be maintained. The Government will be very materially assisted by the deliberations and findings of the • committee and, personally, I wish to thank not only the delegates who are present, but also their organisations for agreeing to their being represented at this conference. I wish also to thank • the members of the committee for the splendid work they have done, because it meant weeks of hard work, deep thought, and application. They have done that in the interests of the country, and, working on their report as a basis, the Government • and people alike will, I feel sure, be materially assisted in promoting our war effort, and they will be better able to overcome the difficulties of the present crisis and continue to build up this great country."